Glo
Chugiak, AK
I grew up in a children’s home, living in foster homes, and was attending an Indian boarding school – I was a State’s custody youth and didn’t know it. At the end of my first year in Oklahoma, I found a mother’s live-in helper position in Dallas, Texas. I spent the entire summer there earning $30 a week – my only financial requirement was to put $15 a week away for when I returned to school.
My parents were nil in my life – my mother took off for the states and my dad was a commercial fisherman — he was in and out of my life; since I was attending school in Oklahoma, I rarely saw or heard from him. No adult, parent or social worker admitted to me that they were the responsible adult and that they had plans for me, not to worry.
At the end of my 2nd year in Oklahoma, a friend of mine came by me while I was sitting outside wondering what in the world am I going to do with my life – I didn’t have any plans for the summer. My friend tapped my hip with her foot and said, “Hey Glo, what are you going to do this summer?” I said I didn’t know. She said “Come home with me.” I said, “I can’t, you have 11 brothers and sisters.” She said, “Let me ask my mom,” and took off – she came back a few minutes later and said, “Mom said, ‘You girls pack your bags and come home.’ “
I lived with them every summer until I moved away from southeast Alaska. All the younger kids think I am their older sister that doesn’t want to come home. I just saw a couple of them this Thanksgiving and always their parting words are, “I love you Glo.” As a mentor, the entire family showed me how to be a family member, and its okay to love and be loved unconditionally. Members of the family were self-appointed tribal foster parents. I didn’t know it at the time, but they had to take comments from other tribal members, because they are Eagle and they took in a Raven.
Since this time in my life, I’ve walked the walk and talked the talk – this position found me; I work in a non-profit tribal organization as a Youth Services Manager, serving high risk youth.
